Efforts are underway to restore a nearly 100-year-old Douglas theater to its former glory.
A priceless piece of Arizona history, the Grand Theatre is now a ghost of its glamorous past.
The theater, at 1139 N. G Ave., was built in 1919. The roof caved in due to water building up on the roof and rooting on the ends of the trusses.
It was once the largest theater in the west, and the center of entertainment in Douglas. Many couples met there for the first time.
The theater closed in the 1950s and remained vacant for decades, but in the mid-1970s, the Douglas Arts and Humanities Association bought the theater for $1. It took nearly 20 years before any real restoration began.
Work remains far from over. The renovation will take $8 million, including $1 million for a new roof. There is no funding plan in place to raise the money.
For more information on the theater, and to lend your support, visit its website.
